Recent take disagrees with theories that WR depth is the Eagles' biggest need

Who would have thought? We'll be honest with you. At no point did we ever think that the unexpected retirement announcement of a non-starter would make us re-examine the Philadelphia Eagles' depth chart. Then, it happened... DeVante Parker, without warning, called it a career, and upon hanging up the cleats, seemingly everyone asked the same question. Is there a depth issue at wide receiver? What if A.J. Brown or DeVonte Smith get hurt? What in the world will the Eagles do then?

From the outside looking in, despite the recent addition of the former fastest player in NFL history, it would seem as though wisdom would lead Philly down roads that end with Howie Roseman and company pursuing another player. Parris Campbell looked great in a seven-on-seven drill during an open OTA practice, but do we want to rest hopes on him?

While all of those questions might be valid, one of ESPN's top writers asks another question. Are the larger concerns at another position?

ESPN states the Eagles' biggest roster hole is at defensive tackle.

Fletcher Cox enjoyed his entire career in Eagles Green. Still, after a rare dozen great NFL seasons with the same franchise, he announced his retirement from the game on March 10th via his Instagram page. He was immediately honored by the Eagles' social media team with a nice tribute.

He'll be missed, but Philly has some youngsters ready to fill the void, namely Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, and Milton Williams. ESPN's Aaron Schatz still sees interior defensive line depth as the Eagles' largest roster hole. This one sits behind a paywall and is only available to ESPN Plus subscribers, so we won't share any direct quotes. Still, there are a few nuggets that are worth mentioning.

• Philadelphia will transition from a 4-3 defensive to a 3-4
• There will be less rotation as a result
• It's possible the Eagles will play a lot of 2-4-5 nickel
• Marlon Tuipulotu, Moro Ojomo, and PJ Mustipher are all question marks

Schatz also mentions that the right guard position is also a question mark. He makes a lot of points with his theory, but we would still state that depth at wide receiver is the bigger issue.

Philly invested two draft picks into Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith. They'll need time to develop. No one knows what to expect from John Ross, so again, if something happens to A.J. Brown or DeVonta Smith, this unit gets worse in a hurry.

Campbell seemingly has gained Jalen Hurts' trust, but we're talking about one practice session in May. Is he good enough to be given significant snaps?

Once you look past those guys, here's a list of the other guys the Eagles are bringing to training camp: Austin Watkins, Joseph Ngata, Britain Covey, Shaquan Davis, and Jacob Harris. While that isn't awful, it's safe to say that we could invest time into discussions that Philly's third wideout might not be here yet.

Philly will be fine, at wide receiver and defensive tackle. Fans and the media will go back and forth about which need is more pressing. Some might even add the concerns at linebacker and EDGE into the discussion, but here's where we stand. A good insurance plan at every position is always welcome.

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